Cleaning & Servicing Your Mountain Bike | How to Check, Lubricate & Wash Your Bicycle

Here is some advice to help you keep your mountain bike in peak condition – it is a good idea to try to follow these steps after every ride. This article covers the whole bike from saddle to brakes, to help you methodically follow through the checks. The whole process should take about 35 – 40 minutes, once you are familiar with it.

1. Remove accessories on the top of the handlebar. This includes the lights, bell, etc. If your bike has V brakes, release the brake [cables]. [Starting with the front brake], push the two brake calipers into the rim of the wheel to release the tension from the cable. Then lift the brake cable up out of the retaining clip and repeat with the rear brake cable.
2. Turn the bike upside-down. To protect your grips and saddle, lay out an old towel or something similar on the ground (or fork out the hundred bucks or so for a repair stand). Standing beside your bike, lean over it and grip the frame with your hands – one hand on the down tube at the front and the other hand on the seat post at the rear of the frame. Then lift up the bike and turn it over.
3. Remove the wheels. Open the quick release lever on the front wheel axle and lift the wheel out. Remove the rear wheel – open the quick release and, as you lift up the wheel, ease the rear cassette housing out of the dérailleur mechanism (the part with the two cogs).
4. Clean the drive system. Using the brush and some soapy water, start by cleaning the rear derailleur, working the brush into all the moving parts.
5. Wash the underside. Start by washing the front forks with a rag and soapy water, wiping them dry with a cloth as you go. In the same way, clean the center and rear of the frame.
6. Wash and remount the wheels. Take a wet rag and start by cleaning the rims of the front wheel. Give the spokes a wash-down and clean the axle. If you have a disk brake system, use a degreaser, such as muck off or white lightning to clean the disc’s.
7. Check the wheels. Spin each wheel, making sure it turns freely and that you can see that it’s straight (true). As the wheel rotates, hold your fingers against the rims, to feel if there are any dents or knocks on either side.
8. Check the drive system. Check both pedals by spinning them, making sure that they turn freely and that there is no noise or grinding from worn bearings. If there is, you’ll need to replace the bottom bracket.
9. Wash the topside of bike. Stand by your bike and grab the frame with both hands as you did before to turn your bike back up the right way. Then lean the bike against a wall.  Get to scrubbing !
10. Check the brakes. Test your brakes by standing in front of your bike, holding the handlebars. Apply the front brake and pull the bike towards you. The front wheel should not move at all and if you continue to pull, the rear wheel should lift up off the ground; otherwise, the brake will need adjusting.
11. Check the headset. Stand beside your bike, and holding the headset with your left hand, apply the front brake with your right hand and rock the bike back and forth. Make sure you cannot feel any slack or hear any knocking in the headset. If you can, your headset will need adjusting.
12. Lubricate the drive system. Place some rags over the rear wheel rims underneath the derailleur, to catch any oil drips.
13. Check the lights. Now reattach the lights and any other accessories you took off. Turn the front light on, making sure the light is bright, then do the same check with the back light.
14. Preventive Maintenance. Last but not least attach a bike tool kit on your bike for every time you ride – it could save you a whole lot of time and frustration. Items should include: A bike specific multi-tool, an extra tube (store in an old sock to use the sock to work on your bike to keep your hands clean), tire levers, and a CO2 inflater if you don’t have a pump.